STARKVILLE, Miss. — Senior quarterback Nash Morgan rushed for three touchdowns, threw for another and sealed the game with a late interception as Warren Central defeated Hattiesburg 56-34 on Friday night to win the MHSAA Class 6A state championship at Davis Wade Stadium.
The victory delivered Warren Central (12-2) its first state title since 1994 and the third in school history.
Morgan finished with 184 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries, completed 9 of 10 passes for 127 yards and one score, and was named game MVP.
“Nash is a super competitor and with him being my son, to win this is super special. I didn’t want to miss the moment to tell him I’m proud of him,” said Warren Central head coach Josh Morgan. “To be able to do it in the hometown with coaches that have invested a long time in the program, and for the guys to punch us through has been a process to get to this point.”
The game was tied four times in the first three quarters before Warren Central pulled away in the fourth.
The Vikings got on the board first to take a 7-0 lead on a Javid Scott 20-yard touchdown run with 9:14 left in the first quarter.
Hattiesburg answered to tie the game up at 7-7 on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Ducksworth to Bralyn Albritton.
The Tigers took a 14-7 lead on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Ducksworth to Tristen Keys with 11:26 left in the second quarter.
The Vikings tied it up at 14-14 on a Scott 2-yard run with 8:26 left in the second quarter.
After Hattiesburg turned the ball over on downs, Morgan scored on a 3-yard run to give Warren Central a 21-14 lead with 3:38 left in the first half.
The Tigers tied the game up at 21-21 on a Davion Young 6-yard run with 24 seconds left until halftime.
Warren Central regained the lead at 28-21 on the opening drive of the second half on a Xavier Jackson 40-yard touchdown run with 9:17 left in the third quarter.
Hattiesburg tied it up at 28-28 on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ducksworth to Albritton.
Warren Central regained the lead for good at 35-28 on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Morgan to Michael Hall with 47 seconds left in the third quarter.
After Hattiesburg turned the ball over on downs, Morgan scampered 33 yards to the end zone to extend the Warren Central lead to 42-28 with 11:23 left in the fourth quarter.
Jackson then added a 45-yard touchdown run to give the Vikings a 49-28 lead with 8:32 left in the game.
Ducksworth found Young on a 65-yard touchdown pass for Hattiesburg to cut the Warren Central lead to 49-34 with 7:10 left.
Morgan added a 52-yard touchdown run with 6:27 left in the fourth quarter and gave Warren Central the 56-34 lead.
“We knew what kind of game it was going to be and knew what it was going to take. When adversity struck, we responded all night and that’s the type of team we are,” Nash Morgan said. “Just do whatever it takes to win the game. This is an amazing feeling and to win it with my dad and uncle and with this team is awesome.”
Jackson added 111 yards rushing on seven carries and two touchdowns for the Vikings.
“It was going to be tough going into tonight defensively to try to stop those guys but like all year, these guys found a way to win no matter the circumstances,” Josh Morgan said. “All of these boys are like my kids. That’s how we feel about them. We are a family and a brotherhood and a special program.”
Hattiesburg (11-3) quarterback Gavin Ducksworth passed for 444 yards and four touchdowns but the Tigers could not slow Warren Central.
“Nash is a very dynamic player and he caused a lot of problems tonight. Hats off to Warren Central. They are a very good team and we didn’t play as well as I thought we would,” said Hattiesburg coach Kendall Lacey. “A more physical team beat us tonight. We found a way to play winning football and I’m so proud of the kids for playing for one another to get to this point and we will get back to work to get back here.”
